Sagless spring support for upholstered furniture



June 2, 1936- s. s. BERNSTEIN 2.042,763

SAGLESS SPRING SUPPORT FOR UPHOLSTERED FURNITURE Filed sept. 2i, 1935Patented June 2, 1936 SAGLESS SPRING SUPPORT FOR UPHOLSTERED FURNITURESamuel S. Bernsteimeverly Hills, Calif.

Application September 21, 1935, Serial No. 41,595

8 Claims. (Cl. 155-179) This invention relates to the manufacture offurniture and is more particularly related to improvements in the designand construction of seats for upholstered chairs, davenports and thelike. As is'well known to those familiar with the art, this type ofconstruction generally consists of a seat frame which is supported bythe legs i the piece, such frame being provided with a bottom usually ofa fabric nature, the bottom in turn supporting a system of springs whichcarries the cushion or seat member of the chair.

This invention contemplates a constructionof the class described havinga bottom formed from a single sheet of fabric secured to the under sideof the frame which has the advantage of preventing the springs tiltingand also serves to prevent dirt and vermin reaching the upholstery.

It is a primary object of this invention to provide a construction whichmay be manufactured cheaply and with this end in view my inventioncontemplates securing the fabric sheet to the frame by means of tacks.To relieve the tacks and the immediately adjacent fabric from strain andfurther to prevent the large bottom sheet from becoming stretched to thepoint that it permanently sags and tilts the springs out of line, myinvention contemplates as its chief feature the provision of resilientmeans for supporting the fabric sheet in the regions occupied by thecushionl supporting springs. This last mentioned object or feature isaccomplished by employing a plurality of strips of webbing which arepositioned in the bottom of the frame immediately below and inengagement with the under surface of the fabric sheet, all of suchstrips being substantially parallel and arranged so as to lieimmediately below the rows of springs which carry /the cushion of thechair.

In order to obtain the maximum area of spring supporting surface andfurther to add to the cheapness with which the unit may be constructed,my invention contemplates rigidly securing these strips of webbing toone end of the frame and in this connection it is a further object ofthis inventionto provide novel means for making this attachment wherebythe nails or tacks which support the fabric sheet and the webbing in theregion at which the webbing is secured to the frame are relieved ofstrain and further to provide an attaching means of this characterwhereby the webbing strips are elevated a slight distance above thelower edge of the frame so as to assure their supporting contact withthe fabricsheet at all times.

As has been pointed out above it is the chief object of this inventionto provide a construction of the class described which eliminates thepossibility of the spring supporting sheet becoming sagged and with thisobject in mind my invention contemplates the use of yieldable means forconnecting the other end of the web bing strips to the frame so thatsuiiicient resiliency is aorded to absorb al1 of the strain placed uponthe chair bottom by the occupant in the resilient means or tensionsprings, as are used in the form chosen for illustration herein. Thefabric sheet is thereby prevented from becoming stretched to the pointthat it will permanently sag to a hammock shape and tilt the springs outof line.

My invention further contemplates as another object the provision ofmeans for yieldably supporting the sides of the fabric sheet and at thesame time providing a closed bottom construc` tion which will preventthe ingress of dirt and insects as pointed out above.

The details in the construction of certain preferred embodiments of myinvention, together with other objects attending its production, will bebest understood from the following description of the accompanyingdrawing which has been chosen for illustrative purposes only and inwhich Fig. 1 is an inverted plan view illustrating the details in theconstruction of one preferred embodiment of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional .elevation taken along the line 2 2 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view illustrating the details in theconstruction of a preferred form of clamping bracket contemplated bythis invention;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary inverted plan view showing the details in theconstruction of a modified form of this invention;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional elevation taken along the line 5 5 ofFig. 4;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional elevation similar to Fig. 5 butillustrating a further modification in this type of construction, and

Fig. '7 is a sectional end elevation illustrating a modified form ofreinforcing unit such as is used in the construction shown in Fig. 6.

Referring now to the drawing with particular reference to Figs. l and 2,reference numeral II indicates the seat frame of a chair which is shownas having front and rear end rails I2 and I2' respectively and siderails I3 and I3' respectively, such frame being supported by means oflegs indicated generally by reference numeral I4.

Reference numeral i5 indicates a fabric sheet which is stretched acrossthe bottom of the frame and in this form of my invention is shown asbeing secured at its edges to the frame by means of tacks i6.

It will be observed that the fabric sheet I5 in the form of my inventionshown in Figs. 1 and 2 is tacked to the underside of the front rails I2and the two side rails I3 and I3. On the rear rail I2', however, it willbe observed that the edge of the sheet I5 is drawn inwardly and upwardlyand is secured to the inner face of the rail I2 as indicated byreference numeral l1. This affords sufcient room beneath the sheet I5 topermit the support of a series of tension springs indicated by referencenumeral I8.

These tension springs may be supported on the frame in various ways. Inthe particular embodiment chosen for illustration herein, I show thesprings as being supported by means of a wedge type of connection suchas is shown and described in my co-pending application, Serial No.734,608, which was filed on July 11th, 1934. This wedge comprises a atplate member having a slot I9 on its pointed or wedged end which isdriven into the wood and through which a locking pin or nail 20 isdriven. The extending end 2l of the plate is provided with an eye 22which is adapted to receive the hook in the spring I8.

I'he free end of the spring I8 carries what I may term a web clampingunit which may also be of any preferred type but which is shown here ascomprising a clamping unit of the type shown and described in myco-pending application, Serial No. 658,678 led February 27, 1933. Thisclamping unit is in the nature of a slotted plate 25 through the slot ofwhich a folded end 26 in a strip of webbing 21 is adapted to beinserted. The fold of the webbing is locked in place in the slottedplate by means of :a locking pin 28. This construction has the advantageof being readily adjusted before the spring is hooked in place so as toprovide the desired tension in the webbing.

The other end of the webbing strip 21 is rigidly secured in any suitablemanner to the end of the frame opposite the end to which the yieldableattaching means is positioned. In this form of my invention the webbingis shown as being rigidly secured to the front end of the frame and isyieldably attached to the rear end thereof. Although various types ofattachments may be used for the webbing the simplest being to merelytack or nail it to the under side of the front rail I2, I nd that bestresults are obtained if a clamping bracket of the general type indicatedby reference numeral 30 is employed.

This clamping bracket which is illustrated more in detail in Fig. 3comprises an angle plate, one face 3l of which is curved to form a lipor supporting shelf for the webbing, the other face 3l being parallelwith the inner face of the rail l2 and secured thereto by means of tacksor nails which are driven through suitably provided openings 32. Ears 33are provided at the ends of the face plate 3|', such ears extendingoutwardly beneath the rail and being provided with openings for thereception of tacks which are driven upwardly into the bottom of therail. As an additional securing means, I provide this member withupwardly extending ears 34 which extend through perforations provided inthe edge of the sheet limmediately adjacent the rail. These ears areprovided with apertures for the reception of suitable securing means asindicated at 36. This type of bracket locks the webbing in place bymeans of a pressure clamping action, so that each fiber of the webbingis held with equal force, and the strain is not on isolated points inthe bers as is the case with tacks or nails which pierce only a few berswhere the tacks are located.

It will be observed from Fig. 1 that the webbing strips 21 are insubstantially parallel relation with each other and as has been pointedout hereinabove these strips are positioned so as to provide a supportfor the springs which carry the cushions. These springs are indicatedgenerally by reference numeral 31 and as shown in Fig. 1 the springsappear in dotted lines in rows immediately above the strips of webbing.It will be understood that any desired number of webbing strips may beemployed, depending upon the size of the unit and the number and size ofthe springs to be employed. It will also be observed that the webbingstrips with their yieldable connections to the frame, constitute ayieldable support for the fabric sheet, relieving the tacks from strainand preventing the fabric sheet from becoming sagged. Furthermore thisconstruction provides a double webbng support for the base rings on thecushioning springs which prevents the spring wearing and breakingthrough its fabric support as frequently happens with single fabricsupports.

In Figs. 4 and 5 I show a slightly modified construction in which thesides 'of the fabric 3 sheet I5a are shown as being yieldably supported.This type of construction is obtained by providing folds on the twosides (only one being shown in the illustration) of the fabric sheet,such folds being substantially parallel to the webbing strips 21A. Inorder to provide a dust-proof construction the folds indicated byreference numeral 39 are formed so as to leave a free end 40 which is ofsuiiicient width to provide what may be termed a longitudinal gusset.The fold 39 which is shown as being provided with a longitudinalreinforcing bar lil is engaged by a plurality of helical springs 42which in turn are secured to the side rails in any suitable manner suchas by means of the locked web connection 20a of the type describedabove. The free end of the gusset strip 40 is secured to the inner faceof the side rail in any suitable manner such as by means of tacks 44.This strip 40 is made of suicient width to permit a free resilientmovement of the bottom sheet and at the same time it provides a dust andvermin proof construction the same as is obtained in the form shown inFig. 1.

The form of my invention shown in Fig. 6 is the same as that shown inFig. 5 except for the type of reinforcing member used and the parts inFig. 6 will be designated by the same reference numerals as are used inFig. 5, such nu- -merals being distinguished by the letter b. In

may be provided with aligned openings indicated in dotted lines at 52for the reception of the hook on the helical spring 42h or if desiredthis hook may be made of a nature such that it will extend clear overthe full width of the clamping strip.

It is to be understood that while I have herein described andillustrated one preferred form of my invention that the invention is notlimited to the precise construction described above but includes Withinits scope whatever changes fairly come within the spirit of the appendedclaims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In an article of furniture, a seat embodying: a frame; a fabric sheetsecured at its edges to the bottom of said frame; a plurality ofsubstantially parallel webbing strips secured in said frame below saidfabric sheet; and tension means yieldably holding said webbing strips insupporting engagement with said sheet.

2. In an article of furniture, a seat embodying: a frame; a fabric sheetsecured at its edges to the bottom of said frame; a plurality ofsubstantially parallel webbing strips secured in said frame below saidfabric sheet; tension means yieldably holding said webbing strips insupporting engagement with said sheet and a plurality of cushionsupporting springs mounted on top of said sheet above said webbingstrips.

3. In an article of furniture, a seat embodying: a frame; a fabric sheetsecured at its edges to the bottom of said frame; a plurality ofsubstantially parallel webbing strips positioned beneath said sheet;means rigidly securing one end of each of said strips to one of therails in said frame; and yieldable means for securing the opposite endof each strip to the opposite rail in said frame whereby said strips areheld in supporting engagement with said sheet at all times.

4. In an article of furniture, a seat embodying: a frame; a fabric sheetsecured at its edges to the bottom of said frame; a plurality ofsubstantially parallel webbing strips-positioned beneath said sheet;means comprising a bracket having a clamping plate secured to the bottomof said frame opposite the inner face thereof and a strip supportingshelf positioned above the bottom edge of said frame for rigidlysecuring one end of each of said strips to one of the rails in saidframe; and yieldable means for securing the opposite end of each stripto the opposite rail in said frame whereby said strips are held insupporting engagement with said sheet at all times.

5. In an article of furniture, a seat embodying: a frame; a fabricsheet; means rigidly connecting opposite ends of said sheet to the endsof said frame; reinforcing means in the sides of said sheet; yieldablemeans connecting the reinforced sides of said sheet to the sides of saidframe; a plurality of webbing strips positioned beneath said strip inengagement with the bottom thereof; means rigidly securing one end ofeach strip to one end of said frame; and yieldable means securing theopposite end of each strip to the corresponding end of said framewhereby said strips are held in supporting engagement with said sheet atall times.

6. In an article of furniture, a seat embodying: a frame; a fabricsheet; means rigidly connecting opposite ends of said sheet to saidframe; said sheet being provided with folds near its sides forminggusset strips; yieldable means connecting said folds to the sides ofsaid frame; means securing the edges of said gusset strips to saidframes; a plurality of webbing strips positioned beneath said sheet insubstantially parallel relation with said folds; and means yieldablysupporting said strips between the ends of said frame and in supportingengagement with said sheet at all times.

7. In an article of furniture, a seat embodying: a frame; a fabricsheet; means rigidly connecting opposite ends of said sheet to saidframe, said sheet being provided with folds near its sides forminggusset strips; yieldable means connecting said folds to the sides ofsaid frame; means securing the edges of said gusset strips to saidframe; a plurality of webbing strips positioned beneath said sheet insubstantially parallel relation with said folds; means rigidly nosecuring one end of each strip to the corresponding end of said frame;and tension means yieldably securing the opposite end of each strip tothe opposite end of said frame.

8. In an article of furniture, a seat embodying: a frame; a fabricsheet; means rigidly connecting opposite ends of said sheet to saidframe, said sheet being provided with folds near its sides forminggusset strips; yieldable means connecting said folds to the sides ofsaid frame; means securing the edges of said gusset strips to saidframes; a plurality of webbing strips positioned beneath said sheet insubstantially parallel relation with said folds; means rigidly securingone end of each strip to the corresponding end of said frame; tensionmeans yieldably securing the opposite end of each strip to the oppositeend of said frame; and a plurality of rows of cushion supporting springssupported on said sheet above said strips of webbing.

SAMUEL S. BERNSTEIN.

